Respiratory Morbidity among Indian Tea Industry Workers

Introduction: During the refining and packing of tea, a very fine dust is formed which is called the tea fluff. Exposure to this fluff has been reported to cause ventilatory defects on chronic exposure. Objective: To determine the association between air quality of the different work sections of tea gardens and the ventilatory functions of the workers. Methodology: An observational analytical study with cross sectional design was conducted on 400 apparently healthy individuals working in different sections of 4 tea gardens. Data on sociodemographic characters of the population, particulate matter (PM) and air quality (AQI) was recorded. All participants underwent spirometric evaluation. Results: The mean (SD) age of the study population was 37.8 (8) years. Most (67%) of the study participants were females. The participants were engaged in the job for a mean (SD) of 4.7 (2.7) years. The median distribution of PM2.5, PM 10 and AQI are progressively higher from the garden section to the dry section. A significant correlation between FVC and PM2.5 and PM10 is seen. FEV1 and FEV1/FVC shows a significant correlation with all air quality parameters while FEF25-75 is correlated to none of them. Comparison of the three models to predict the spirometric variables show that even after adjustments, the FEV1 is significantly associated with air quality parameters, FEV1/FVC is significantly associated with the air quality parameters and age while the FEF25-75% is dependent on the age of the participant. Conclusion: There is a strong correlation between the ventilatory parameters and the cumulative exposure of PM2.5, PM10 and AQI, which persists even after adjustment for confounders.

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“…Most observed changes were obstructive in nature, similar to those reported in previous studies. [ 5 10 11 12 13 ]…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Occupational Ventilatory Defects Among Workers Employed in Tea Gardens, A Cross-Sectional Study in Siliguri Subdivision of Darjeeling District, West Bengal

Roychowdhury¹,

Mukherjee

Bhattacherjee

et al. 2022

Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

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“…Another set of questions related to family size, education, socioeconomic status, family history of allergy or asthma and social habits has been included in the questionnaire. These questions have been adapted from the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) Main-II questionnaire [ 52 ], which has been tested previously in an Indian context [ 53 – 56 ]. Although the Bengali version of the ECRHS Main-II questionnaire has not been formally validated, an English-to-Bengali back-translated version of the questionnaire has been used in previous studies [ 53 – 56 ].…”

Section: Methodologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Asthma and Allergy-Related Diseases among Adolescents (PERFORMANCE) study: rationale and methods

Bhattacharjee

Haldar

Maity³

et al. 2018

ERJ Open Res

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Despite a considerable number of international reports on allergic diseases among children, information about the prevalence and risk factors of asthma and allergy-related diseases among Indian adolescents is relatively sparse. The Prevalence and Risk Factors of Asthma and Allergy-Related Diseases among Adolescents (PERFORMANCE) study has been conceived to study the aetiology of asthma and allergic diseases including rhinoconjunctivitis, atopic eczema and food allergies among adolescents in West Bengal, India, using standardised methods and collaborations. The aims of the study are: 1) to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of asthma and allergic diseases among the adolescents residing in rural, suburban and urban areas of West Bengal; 2) to obtain information about the possible role of lifestyle factors (smoking, diet and physical activity) on the disease prevalence; and 3) to create a network for further investigation on social, environmental and genetic factors affecting the diseases. The PERFORMANCE study comprises two phases. The phase I study will investigate the prevalence and possible contributing factors of asthma and allergic diseases in a defined population. The phase II study will be performed as a follow-up of phase I to assess the incidence of asthma and allergic diseases.

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“…Respiratory symptoms were recorded using a previously used English-back Bengali-translated version of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS-II) questionnaire containing items on respiratory health, occupational exposure (in terms of total work experience in the sector) and lifestyle factors such as smoking habits (Moitra et al, 2013(Moitra et al, , 2014a(Moitra et al, , 2015b(Moitra et al, , 2016. Subjective respiratory complaints in the previous 12 months included: (a) acute/current or chronic/prolonged cough; (b) production of phlegm; (c) acute or chronic wheezing or whistling of the chest; and (d) breathing trouble.…”

Section: Respiratory Health Measuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exposure to heavy metals alters the surface topology of alveolar macrophages and induces respiratory dysfunction among Indian metal arc-welders

et al. 2018

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Background: Despite the available clinico-epidemiological evidence of heavy metal-associated respiratory health hazards among metal arc-welders, experimental confirmation of such an association is lacking. Methods: In this study, we recruited 15 metal arc-welders and 10 referent workers without direct exposure. We assessed respiratory health through a questionnaire and spirometry; estimated manganese, nickel and cadmium levels in blood, urine and induced sputum; performed differential counts of sputum leucocytes and measured plasma malondialdehyde (MDA). We used atomic force and scanning electron microscopy to assess the physical property of the alveolar macrophages (AMs) obtained from induced sputum and analysed cell surface deposition of heavy metals using energy dispersion X-ray analysis (EDX). Sputum cellular DNA damage was assessed by DNA-laddering assay. Results: There was a higher body burden of manganese and nickel in the metal arc-welders than the referents. Among major spirometric indices, only the forced mid-expiratory flow rates (FEF 25-75) were reduced in the welders compared with the referents (63.4 + 14.7 vs. 89.2 + 26.7, p < 0.01); this reduction was associated with both heavy metal levels (: À41.8, 95% CI: À78.5% to À5.1%) and plasma MDA (À0.37; À0.68 to À0.06). In metal arc-welders, significant physical and morphological changes were observed in AMs through microscopic evaluation while EDX analyses demonstrated higher deposition of heavy metals on the AM cell surface than the referents. We also observed a higher degree of DNA damage in the sputum cells of the exposed workers than the referents. Conclusion: Heavy metal exposure-induced adverse respiratory effects among metal arc-welders are mediated through haematological and cytological interactions.

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Respiratory Morbidity among Indian Tea Industry Workers

Abstract: Background: Indian tea industry workers are exposed to various exposures at their work-

Cited by 9 publications

References 32 publications

Occupational Ventilatory Defects Among Workers Employed in Tea Gardens, A Cross-Sectional Study in Siliguri Subdivision of Darjeeling District, West Bengal

Occupational Ventilatory Defects Among Workers Employed in Tea Gardens, A Cross-Sectional Study in Siliguri Subdivision of Darjeeling District, West Bengal

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Asthma and Allergy-Related Diseases among Adolescents (PERFORMANCE) study: rationale and methods

Exposure to heavy metals alters the surface topology of alveolar macrophages and induces respiratory dysfunction among Indian metal arc-welders

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